The Great Southern is the perfect location for your next family holiday. Whether you are travelling in a camper van, staying in an Airbnb or treating yourself at a gorgeous hotel or apartment, the Great Southern is an ideal spot for the school holidays!
It is nature’s playground down here and, aside from the usual natural attractions like Green’s Pool and The Gap, there is much more for the kids to do. The great thing is the child-friendly stuff is punctuated with lots of things to keep the adults happy too including world-class wineries, restaurants, cideries and distilleries. Maybe go from the an indoor playcentre in the morning to a long, lazy, brewery lunch in the afternoon. Or start your day at the Animal Farm and spend the afternoon on a tourist drive, stopping for tastings at beautiful cellar doors and stocking up on wine to drink once the little ones are tucked up in bed!
We’ve rounded up our favourite things to do with the kids – so all you need to do is pack the car and hit the road!
1. Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk
The whole family will love this attraction, as you walk 40 metres above the trees, through the canopy of the tingle forest. The Treetop Walk is accessible for people in wheelchairs and prams, so it’s suitable for whoever you’re travelling with. These majestic trees are gobsmacking and make for a fun day out! Be sure to stop by Valley of the Giants Olives and Wines afterwards to sample some freshly pressed olive oils – the kids always love dipping the crackers and sampling these zingy oils – and of course, a quick sample of the delicious wines for the adults!
2. Boston Brewery & Willoughby Park Wines
Boston Brewery & Willoughby Park Wines are in the same place and serve up some incredible craft brews and delicious wines. This is an ideal place to visit with kids. They have a massive playground alongside the grapevines that will keep the kids occupied while you enjoy a pint or a glass of wine. The restaurant has a great menu for adults and kids including favourites like pizzas and fish and chips. The space often has live music creating a fun atmosphere for everyone.
3. Ice cream and gelato
Photo by @eddyoncoffee (via IG)
Bartholomew’s Meadery is a popular spot and it is uniquely “Denmark”. It is the perfect place to stop when the kids are craving some ice cream… and giving you the perfect opportunity to try some delicious mead. The honey used to make the mead comes from pristine forest and natural bush land and shows truly unique flavours. The Giant Cone is worth checking out if you have a sweet tooth as they serve up MASSIVE cones topped with ice cream mixed with fresh fruit.
The team at Rockcliffe also make their own gelato right there on-site, so you can treat the kids whilst trying some of their award-winning wine.
4. Albany Bird Park and Marron Farm
The Old Marron Farm is a perfect destination for any animal lover or family looking for a fun day out! Wander through their huge undercover aviary and hand feed the stunning native and exotic parrots within their in-flight home whilst admiring the Koi and trout ponds below. It makes for a lovely day with the family!
5. The Brig Amity Replica
Walk up the gangplank and step back in time aboard Brig Amity to find out what life was like aboard a convict ship in 1826. Hop on board and your imaginations run wild with what the 6 week journey from Sydney would have been like aboard this massive ship!
6. Denmark Thrills Adventure Park
This adventure park is located in the heart of the forest yet close to Denmark township and is perfect for the whole family – yes, parents can join in on the fun, too! The park has a number of rope courses, maze games and so much more! You’ll definitely spend a few hours here … and reward yourself afterwards by visiting Castelli Estate that is only a short walk away.
7. Tumble Jam Indoor Play Centre
Tumble Jam is a multi-storey indoor adventure playground with soft play features like slides, balls and a toddler zone! This place is perfect for a rainy-day activity or just to tire out the kids so you can enjoy an early evening by the fire and your favourite bottle of Great Southern wine.
8. Albany Wacky Golf
This indoor mini golf course is perfect for the kids! Each hole has a different theme – think Mario Brothers, a crazy cat lady and even Egyptian mummies! You can choose between nine or 18 holes… for a limited time, if you choose to do 18 holes, you can try the new course (an extra 9 holes) for free! In addition to wacky golf, there is also a pool table, air hockey, foosball, retro video games and tons of board games to enjoy.
9. Dinosaur World and Bird and Reptile Park
This park is made for the dinosaur loving kid! Not only does this park have several exhibits of dinosaur bones and fossils, but it also has several parrot exhibits and a reptile exhibit. If you can, plan to be there for the reptile presentation at 11am and 2pm.
10. Albany Indoor Adventures
Albany Indoor Adventures is the ULTIMATE way to test your skill and athletic capabilities. There is something for all ages and all skill levels, but we can’t recommend the Ninja and Junior Ninja course highly enough. There is also mini golf and a kid workshop for those looking for something less adventurous.
11. Denmark Animal Farm
This animal farm is always a hit with the littlies. Kids will have the opportunity to get up and close and personal with a variety of animals including kangaroos, alpacas, rabbits, baby goats, guinea pigs and so much more! We highly recommend stopping by around feeding time (3pm) for a chance to bottle feed baby lambs, goats or calves. You can’t help but smile as you give pats to all the animals around the farm.
12. Albany Wind Farm
The Albany Wind Farm is one of the most spectacular and largest wind farms in all of Australia. Not only will your kids see these giant windmills up close, the backdrop is absolutely spectacular! You’ll have miles of uninterrupted views of the bright blue ocean. Now that it is whale season, you’ll probably be able to spot some whales breaching in the distance.